The Plot
The wealthy elite monopolize the mass providers and distributors of information (the internet), which is referred to by the middle class as the “enchanted library.” The former group decided to move the internet, which will be comically represented by a single box, to a different planet, travel and access to which can only be afforded by the upper class. False history and news are then fed to the rest of the population. They eventually revolt against this by establishing their own means of internet access and eliminate their dependence on the elite, who end up severely addicted to technology and out of touch with events on earth.
The Costumes
In the beginning of the play, the elite will be dressed in modern, metallic, fashionable, and iridescent clothing whereas the general population will be in very ordinary clothing in basic colors. However, after the revolution, the elite will be wearing the same clothing that has by this point lost its luster, while the people left on earth will be wearing beautiful and innovative clothing that they created as a result of their rekindled connection and creativity with each other.
The Sets
The sets will consist of primarily two scenes: a typical suburban neighborhood in America that looks like it could be in any small town, and a futuristic settlement on a nearby planet. The futuristic imagery will lend an ironic tone given that the play addresses an issue that we are struggling with in the present day.
The Music
The opera singing would be performed exclusively by the middle class as they would be the only group left in touch with the arts. This will contribute to their inability to effectively communicate with the elite. Scenes that feature exclusively the upper class on the nearby planet will have “computer generated” electronic music to illustrate how out of touch they have become with organic creation.
The Lighting
The lighting will be extravagant and futuristic, featuring many strobe and string L.E.D. lights. This will contribute to post-modern aesthetic of the play, emphasizing the focus on unnecessary decorum that pervades the minds of the “rich.”
Additional thoughts:
This opera will uphold Mozart’s theme of obscurantism by emphasizing the very real desire to control the information available to the public that “the powers that be” have demonstrated. Hopefully, the production will bring to mind the importance of the battle for privacy and a free and unregulated internet that we have been fighting in recent times. I imagine that this topic will remain relevant through the years and perhaps even gain new meaning with the rising use of artificial intelligence and the dependence on technology that inevitably comes with it.
Veronica Funk
